T- I was initially scared off by many reviews since I hate black licorice, but the licorice taste was not as strong as I expected. Besides licorice I tasted notes of tobacco (tasted like after smoking a good cigar), coffee and chocolate.

M- Surprisingly light for an imperial stout; poured somewhat syrupy looking, but did not feel thick. Best mouthfeel for an imperial stout to date for me.

O- Exceeded my expectations based on most reviews, but I feel like the original version would be superior. I appreciate the unique try on this beer with anise, but am looking forward to tasting and reviewing the regular Stone IRS. (759 characters)

More User Reviews:

Pours a jet black color with a very small amount of sediment that can be seen floating near the edges of the glass. Thick, deep, tan-leather head that retains extremely well. The nose is full of roasted malts and a bit of anise. The taste is full of anise. Black licorice, along with a bit of figs and raisins, but mostly licorice (anise) and it finishes VERY sweet. It's almost hard to believe it's a RIS, because the sweetness covers up most of the bitterness at all. It's actually a bit too sweet and the anise really overpowers the other flavors. The body is nice, very thick and creamy with a bit of carbonation.

I don't know if I'd go so far as to call this a bad beer, but it's certainly not for me, and not really what I'm looking for in a RIS. The anise is a little too overpowering and licorice-heavy for me, leaving a sweetness that is acceptable at first, but starts to get to you halfway through. (910 characters)

Pitch black w/ tan head, it's perfect for a rendevous. That bubbling tan fizz, however, disappears with a quickness. As previously noted, anise is extremely heavy on the nose and it does aptly drown out oak notes and Belgian yeast wafts with a similar quickness. 'Tis perhaps the first Belgian beer I've quaffed without it smelling so.

The taste is liquid licorice, or I'd go so far as to say smoked liquid licorice. How can there be double-digit ABV produced by otherwise absent Belgian yeast. Here, it's not necessarily dubbed a 'Belgian' beer. The bottle, nevertheless, leads me the consumer to believe it is. As a Belgian, it's a fail. As an RIS, it's still a miss.

The smoky black Twizzler thing offers some appeal to the feel, and a S'mores-like campfireness accompanies the sipping, but overall, this is indeed an odd-year one-off not worth revisiting. (862 characters)

22oz bottle. Pours an opaque inky black with a small light tan head that quickly goes to a thin collar.

The aroma is oatmeal, chocolate, roasted slightly ashy malt, and a little spice. It's more subdued than expected.

The flavor is roasted chocolate with some black licorice and a bitter tarry finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and slightly watery.

Overall, I don't care for this as much as the regular version. It seems more subdued. I don't get much Belgian yeast other than a slight twang in the finish. The anise seems about the same as the regular. (561 characters)

Served in an allagash tulip and a red wine glass from me and the wife respectively..

The Head takes up about half of the glass and even after many sips remains. The lace is sticky and a tan/white with many fine bubbles.

The smell is nice subtle fresh cocoa and black liquorish. The Hints of coffee are in the back and subdued.

The taste starts dry with a good numbing carbonation. The dry taste of oak and coffee come in as the carbonation dissipates. The anise leaves a dry almost raisin taste. The alcohol numbs and then leaves a dry roasted aftertaste. (558 characters)

Flavorful, complex, well crafted, alot going on here. Follows the theme started by the nose, more smoke, chocolate, licorish, figs, a late minty note, dry and clean in the finish. Delicious stout, Belgian twist adds to the complexity and interest. Smooth and tasty on the tongue. Go get some of this interesting brew, would love to try it with a charred steak or with a fruity chocolate dessert....c'mon people..the numbers for the reviews of this one are way out of whack (691 characters)

The beer pours a black color with a tan head. The aroma is straight black licorice with a little bit of roasted malt and chocolate mixed in. The flavor is even more one dimensional than the aroma. Other than the black licorice, I don't get anything, which is very disappointing. Thick mouthfeel and medium carbonation. The anise/licorice really took over this beer, resulting in a beer I did not care for. (405 characters)

Split a bottle of this tonight with a friend that is moving away. Poured jet black, maybe an inch head on it. Smelled like licorice. Also tasted like licorice, some malt. More licorice than anything I've ever had. Mouthfeel was creamy and full. I think this needs some time to sit. The licorice is too overpowering right now and I'm hoping that with time it will fade some and have more flavors in it. Good brew, but IMO it needs a lot of time to age. (451 characters)

Smell: Smells like licorice. Or rather it smells like Anise, or maybe that's starfruit. One-dimensional, but interesting.

Taste: Some semblance of a standard RIS at first (chocolate, molasses, coffee) but very mild with light anise. Then the anise really builds until it is a licorice overload, which is about all I am left with after each sip. Don't taste any Belgian notes.

Feel: Not as smooth or creamy as the standard Stone IRS (but it is still smooth), and seems more boozy. Strange finish.

Overall: Way too much licorice. Good thing I like licorice, but this is overkill and one-dimensional. Still, interesting and somewhat tasty. (777 characters)

Nearly black throughout, though the edges appear to be a touch of ruby and dark brown. Thin khaki colored head and plenty of lacing. Looks a touch thin and lifeless.

As a fan of black licorice, and knowing this beer was brewed with plenty of anise, this beer is fine by me! As the beer warms, the strong aroma of anise (black licorice) becomes more and more powerful, though there's plenty of roasted malts, and a touch of chocolate as well. The Belgian yeast strain isn't too dominant or overpowering, though it does add a touch of twang.

More black licorice in the flavor and roasted malt. Even though I am a fan of black licorice, its flavor is particularly big here and covers up what I know very well to be a world-class stout. I'm a fan, but a little less anise would probably have been a better move.

The most disappointing aspect of this beer is the mouthfeel. It seemed significantly thinner than the standard IRS and also a bit metallic.

This is a black licorice stout, and knowing that, this beer really succeeds. Not everyone is going to like it, but as a fan of said flavor, I didn't mind it one bit--and am looking forward to having another. (1,205 characters)

Taste: Anise is strong but blends in pretty well with the dark chocolate, coffee, and dark malts. Mint flavor is pretty strong. Belgian yeast is also stronger than the smell leads on. Light hints of dark fruit, vanilla, and oak. Overall a pretty spicy stout but fairly well balanced.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied and chewy. Moderate level of carbonation. Alcohol is pretty well hidden.

Overall: Far from a typical RIS but pretty good. The anise and mint are strong but not completely overwhelming. I happen to like black licorice so that probably is a factor. (984 characters)